[NYRA] "NYRA Freedom" Volume 8, Issue 9

Thu Oct 9 12:36:13 EDT 2008

---- NYRA Freedom ----

ISSN 1933-5229

Volume 8, Issue 9

October 9, 2008

Editors: Justin Graham and Lexi Johnson

---- Table of Contents ----

- Introduction
- Voting Age Ad to Air Soon; Your Help Needed
- Several Chapters to Protest the Voting Age on Election Day
- NYRA's Anti Age Discrimination Campaign Making Waves
- NYRA Unveils New Youth Rights Facebook Application
- New Director and Officers Jump In
- This Year's Interns Off to a Running Start
- Website Hacking Prompts Move to New Server
- New Chapters Get Their Feet Wet
- Recent NYRA Blog Entries
- News from the Web
- Conclusion

---- Introduction ----

NYRA is on the verge of perhaps its greatest publicity ever with our  
first television ad about to be aired on several major cable TV  
stations in Washington, DC. Our coming voting age protests across the  
country, combined with the ad, are sure to grab attention. NYRA is  
also making waves on other fronts, winning victories against age  
discrimination in several businesses over the past few weeks, rolling  
out an awesome new Facebook app, and continuing great chapter activity.

---- Voting Age Ad to Air Soon; Your Help Needed ----

The airing of NYRA's very first television ad, just in time to  
celebrate our 10th anniversary, is less than two weeks away! The  
advertisement, produced by NYRA of Southeast Florida and focusing on  
our support for lowering the voting age, will air on Washington, DC  
cable the week of October 20 on several major channels such as CNN,  
Comedy Central, MTV and more. This ad will introduce thousands of  
young people and others in our nation's capital to NYRA and to our  
goal of lowering the voting age to 16.

The ad campaign is already generating some significant attention in  
the blogosphere, before the first spot has even aired, and already has  
over 1,300 views on YouTube. To air the ad as many times as we'd like  
on all the channels we're targeting, NYRA will need an estimated  
$2,396. With the generous donations we've received from NYRA members  
and supporters, we're two-thirds of the way there, but we still need  
your help. You can chip in to help air the ad at the NYRA website,  
youthrights.org, where you can donate securely via PayPal. Just click  
the ChipIn link at the top of any page on the website. You can see  
this outstanding advertisement here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GsJHz1whoA

---- Several Chapters to Protest the Voting Age on Election Day ----

Not only is an excellent TV ad advocating a lower voting age about to  
air in our nation's capital, NYRA is preparing a round of voting age  
protests on election day to further drive home the point that the  
voting age needs to be lowered now. Chapters in DC, New York City,  
Orlando and Southeast Florida will be at the polls protesting come  
election day, and you can help too. An election day voting age protest  
is the perfect opportunity for your chapter to bring attention to this  
issue. If you don't have a chapter, you can gather a few friends to  
protest with you. If your state allows early voting, you can also  
garner public and media attention by protesting at polling places  
before election day.  Don't miss this opportunity to make your voice  
heard loud and clear and to let your community and the nation know  
that you want the right to vote now!

---- NYRA's Anti Age Discrimination Campaign Making Waves ----

NYRA has renewed its campaign to end age discrimination in businesses,  
with several victories already in the past few weeks. The primary  
focus of the campaign so far has been in Maryland, though efforts are  
also underway in Michigan and Florida. In the area of age  
discrimination in business, Maryland state law is clearly on our side,  
prohibiting age discrimination with no lower age limit. Simply by  
opening a dialogue with businesses and reminding them of the state  
law, NYRA has succeeded in removing discriminatory policies in several  
businesses, including 15 Party City locations throughout the state, a  
Comfort Inn hotel, a Dollar Store, and more. A business in Michigan  
has also ended a discriminatory policy because of NYRA's efforts, and  
NYRA of Southeast Florida may soon be jumping into the fray as well,  
taking on an ageist policy at a store in Boca Raton.  Tackling age  
discrimination in businesses is an excellent way for NYRA members to  
make a positive difference for youth in their communities.  Help us  
locate ageist businesses around the country, participate in this  
project here:
http://apps.facebook.com/youthrights/proj.php?id=4

---- NYRA Unveils New Youth Rights Facebook Application ----

NYRA's vice president, Stefan Muller, has been working all summer on a  
youth rights Facebook app, and it's finally ready to be rolled out to  
the public. This new app will allow youth rights activists throughout  
the country to network with each other via Facebook, collaborating on  
youth rights projects that will have a real impact for youth across  
the nation. Help make concrete change for the youth rights movement  
here:
http://apps.facebook.com/youthrights/index.php

---- New Director and Officers Jump In ----

In addition to all the other exciting things going on within NYRA and  
the world of youth rights, NYRA has gained a new member of its Board  
of Directors, and new officers have been appointed by the board.  
Yonaton Yares, Director of Media Communications for NYRA, has resigned  
from the Board of Directors, and former NYRA intern Jacqueline  
Trumbull has been appointed to replace him. As an intern last year,  
Jacqueline has a proven history of being effective and getting things  
done, and will doubtless be an asset on the board.

Also, Chip Sinton, who was Vice President last year, has been  
appointed by the board as President, and Stefan Muller is the new Vice  
President. Former NYRA Director Pamela Tatz is replacing Yonaton as  
Treasurer, and Jessica Roeder, who was on the board last year, has  
been appointed to replace longtime NYRA member and Director Katrina  
Moncure as Secretary. The addition of these talented and dedicated  
individuals in our Board of Directors and officerships will enable us  
to get more done for youth rights in the year ahead.

---- This Year's Interns Off to a Running Start ----

NYRA has three interns this fall, our biggest batch yet. Zach Bushey,  
Rachel Birnbaum and Rowell Concepcion are our new interns, and they're  
already hard at work for youth rights.  Zach is doing chapter  
formation work for NYRA, Rachel is engaged in some very proactive  
outreach for us, and Rowell is working on policy research, among other  
things.

Rowell is a psychology and public policy double major at the  
University of California, Riverside. He heard about NYRA in a public  
policy seminar. "Working at NYRA has been and continues to be a great  
experience," he said. Zach is happy to be working for NYRA this year  
as an intern, helping chapter intents create their chapters. Said  
Zach: "I get to be in contact with some passionate, intelligent people  
from all over the nation." Rachel is also excited to be a part of the  
team. "It is great knowing that I can be making a difference," Rachel  
said.

---- Website Hacking Prompts Move to New Server ----

NYRA has had a few server problems over the past several months, and  
was recently the victim of hacking which temporarily disabled the  
website. But no amount of hacking can keep us down; we are moving to a  
new server, which we anticipate will be more stable for us and will  
ensure that our website is a reliably available resource for youth  
rights activists across the country.  Please bear with us as we work  
on fixing our forums and transfering to the new server.

---- New Chapters Get Their Feet Wet ----

A new NYRA chapter has been formed in Miami, Florida. NYRA-Miami aims  
to lower the drinking age in that state. They plan to achieve this by  
talking with state representatives and by informing people about the  
downsides of the minimum drinking age of 21. Ado Stimamiglio, the  
chapter president, says that NYRA-Miami is currently working on  
getting the word out by sending out press releases. In addition, the  
chapter will be working with NYRA of Southest Florida in the future,  
and will be a good compliment to the Southeast Florida chapter's  
voting age work.

New chapters are also springing up in Cibolo, TX and Timonium, MD.

---- Recent NYRA Blog Entries ----

Is Temporary Injustice OK?
http://blog.youthrights.org/2008/10/08/is-temporary-injustice-ok/

The Human Animal?
http://blog.youthrights.org/2008/10/03/the-human-animal/

---- News from the Web ----

-- NYRA-Related News --

Local Teens Want To Lower Voting Age to 16
http://forums.youthrights.org/showthread.php?t=16187

Boca Raton teen creates group to push for lower voting age
http://forums.youthrights.org/showthread.php?t=16055

Gold medal injustice
http://forums.youthrights.org/showthread.php?t=15985

Let's at least talk about it
http://forums.youthrights.org/showthread.php?t=15975

-- Other News --

Study: Lowering Drinking Age is 'Bad Public Policy'
http://forums.youthrights.org/showthread.php?t=16179

Ford feature will let parents set limits for teens
http://forums.youthrights.org/showthread.php?t=16167

Senate wants FCC to conduct "advanced blocking" study
http://forums.youthrights.org/showthread.php?t=16164

Dos Palos students protest after school forces sophomore to remove  
American flag shirt
http://forums.youthrights.org/showthread.php?t=16157

Youth group calls for voting age to be lowered ahead of European elections
http://forums.youthrights.org/showthread.php?t=16129

Austria opens the polls to 16-year-olds
http://forums.youthrights.org/showthread.php?t=16097

MP wants cabinet to reduce voting age to 16
http://forums.youthrights.org/showthread.php?t=16096

Vote at 16: Austria gets them while they're young
http://forums.youthrights.org/showthread.php?t=16074

Secretary of State opposed to increasing driving age
http://forums.youthrights.org/showthread.php?t=16062

5th Grader Suspended For Anti-Obama Shirt
http://forums.youthrights.org/showthread.php?t=16053

Students vehemently disagree with S-burg dress code, protest outside  
high school
http://forums.youthrights.org/showthread.php?t=16040

Some NJ Schools Ban Students From Wearing Hoodies
http://forums.youthrights.org/showthread.php?t=16039

Fla. judge rules saggy pants law unconstitutional
http://forums.youthrights.org/showthread.php?t=16037

NAACP calls for 9 p.m. curfew in Macon
http://forums.youthrights.org/showthread.php?t=16033

Don't raise driving age
http://forums.youthrights.org/showthread.php?t=16028

Salem coalition fights to keep drinking age 21
http://forums.youthrights.org/showthread.php?t=16014

Obama against lowering legal drinking age, McCain avoids comment
http://forums.youthrights.org/showthread.php?t=16013

Boy, 13, bullied after losing his hair is banned from wearing a  
baseball cap to school
http://forums.youthrights.org/showthread.php?t=16001

10yo suspended for broken pencil sharpener
http://forums.youthrights.org/showthread.php?t=15990

Parental notification measure taps passions on both sides of abortion debate
http://forums.youthrights.org/showthread.php?t=15978

Drinking age change gets icy reception
http://forums.youthrights.org/showthread.php?t=15976

Guadalupe City Council to introduce new curfew for those under 18
http://forums.youthrights.org/showthread.php?t=15962

Auto safety group: States should raise driving age
http://forums.youthrights.org/showthread.php?t=15960

Drinking by college kids is good for the Constitution
http://forums.youthrights.org/showthread.php?t=15951

MADD pans initiative to lower drinking age to 18
http://forums.youthrights.org/showthread.php?t=15939

Colleges Take On Drinking Age
http://forums.youthrights.org/showthread.php?t=15938

Bristol's Body, Sarah's Choice
http://forums.youthrights.org/showthread.php?t=15926

The Drinking Age Myth
http://forums.youthrights.org/showthread.php?t=15917

Back-to-school, but how? Some parents fear letting kids walk, take bus alone
http://forums.youthrights.org/showthread.php?t=15905

---- Conclusion ----

While much has happened in the past month, with our new Facebook app,  
changes on the Board of Directors and officerships, our anti age  
discrimination campaign achieving success, and more, a more exciting  
time is to come. NYRA's very first TV ad will air in Washington, DC in  
less than two weeks, and we are now less than a month away from  
election day, when NYRA members and youth rights supporters across the  
country will make their voices heard for youth suffrage.

We need your help to maximize our impact over the next month. One of  
the easiest and most concrete ways of contributing to the cause is to  
chip in towards our ad campaign by clicking the ChipIn button at the  
top of any page on the NYRA website, youthrights.org.  You can also  
use the new Facebook app to network with other youth rights activists  
for real change, make your own contribution to the fight against  
ageism in your community by participating in our anti age  
discrimination campaign, or start a chapter to work for progress on  
the youth rights issues that are most important to young people in  
your community. Everyone has the power to make this movement a success.